9 Ways to Survive Another Ramadan in Lockdown

Ramadan Mubarak to all of you who are starting Ramadan today or tomorrow! 

Given last year’s Ramadan was spent in lockdown and this Ramadan will be too, you may be feeling deflated and not really excited about this month – it’s understandable. However a Ramadan in isolation may not be such a bad thing after all and could be a great way to really focus on your spirituality as there won’t be many distractions. So we’ve written about a few ways that can get you in the Ramadan spirits whether it is lockdown or not.

Mind you, you don’t need to implement them all but these are a few ideas that can get you in the Ramadan groove!

9 Ways To Get Into The Ramadan Spirit During Lockdown:

1. Journalling

Journalling may seem like it is time consuming but journaling allows you to practice your gratitude, track productivity and help with self-improvement. It’s a great habit to pick up during Ramadan so that you can implement daily journaling in your life moving forward. 

We recommend going for either:

• An Islamic journal like Jeem Journal where each page encourages you to note down any positive affirmations, contributions, day planning and  feelings of gratitude, as well as tracking your prayers. It comes packed with a Qadr Destiny Drive which is ideal for the nights of Qadr during Ramadan and a Life Mapper whereby you plan your actions for the year ahead of you. Jeem Journal are also running a 30 day challenge on their instagram page which is worth checking out. You can buy yours here. 

• A Ramadan planner like Ramadan Legacy Planners helps you to plan and keep track of your good deeds, Quran recitation and more during the month of Ramadan. The Ramadan Legacy Planners do much more though and help you to succeed in your Ramadan goals by including the months leading up to and post Ramadan so that you can stay on top of your goals. They have planners in a variety of designs and are suitable from older kids to adults. You can buy yours here.

2. Challenge Yourself

Whether you want to start running a 5k, learn pottery or experiment with a new recipe every day, Ramadan is the perfect month to set yourself a new challenge that you can implement into your routine once Ramadan is over. 

There are a whole load of hobbies or challenges online that you can look into. One we love is the Green Deen Tribe Iftar weekend challenge where they challenge you to revive the sunnahs of healthy eating and ethical consumption. For more information, click here.  https://www.greendeentribe.co.uk/copy-of-retreats 

3. Tune into a Webinar 

Given the circumstances of last year, many mosques and organisations have come prepared this Ramadan with online webinars that you can tune into. These range from parenting during Ramadan courses to Quran recitations to how to implement good habits during this month and are all available free online. It is best to check with your local community mosque to see what events and classes they will be running during the month. 

One webinar we like in particular is the Parenting With Allah By My Side daily webinars about parenting during the month of Ramadan. Everyday they run a session at 6pm UK time where they’ll discuss a topic of the day and usually feature a special guest. It’s a great one to listen to whilst getting Iftar ready and it’s 45 minutes long. You can find their facebook page here.

4. Decorating your House 

Decorating your house for Ramadan may seem superficial to some but for others, it is a fantastic way at getting into the spirits of Ramadan especially if they felt isolated last Ramadan. It could be something as small as iftar-themed plates for the dinner table, a “Ramadan Mubarak” banner across the wall or even a Ramadan garland on your front door!

We’ve written an extensive post about how to decorate your house for Ramadan which includes tips on how to do DIY decor. This is a great way to have the whole family involved too. 

5. Zoom With Family and Friends

One of the fun parts of Ramadan that we’ll sorely miss this year is breaking fast with family and friends! However, just because we cannot meet them physically, it doesn’t mean we can’t turn to virtual gatherings. 

Organise a fun zoom call with friends or families weekly so that you can have a catch up with your close ones, host a fun Islamic-themed quiz or even a mini virtual majlis with prayers included. You can also organise one for the kids with their friends or cousins so that they can play a Ramadan game together. 

6. Send Food to Family and Friends

Like the point above, meeting friends and family for iftar or suhoor is now not an option but that doesn’t mean you can’t send them food during the month! If they live close by, place a few goodies for Iftar on a paper plate or in a biodegradable box and do a quick drive by. If they live a bit further out, maybe consider ordering them a halal DIY kit that they can indulge in over the weekend. 

Here is a great list of halal DIY restaurant kits that deliver nationwide. 

7. Read a Good Book

Once the children are asleep, you’ll have ample time to dive into a book and given it’s Ramadan, you may be on the search for a book that connects you with your spirituality. They don’t necessarily have to be Islamically related though as even a book on meditation is great to keep you calm and peaceful. 

8. Create a Mini Mosque at Home

Similar to decorating your house for Ramadan, creating a corner or a room where you carry out prayers with the family is a lovely way to get into the spirits, especially if your mosque is still not open. Place prayer mats, tasbihs and Qurans in the room as well as a bluetooth speaker so you can connect your phone or laptop to it and play surahs and duas. Just be sure you have a no-phone policy in there!

This room or corner can also double up as a downtime room for the kids so they can go in there and relax without their toys or ipads.

9. Go for a Walk

You may be going stir crazy staying at home so be sure to make some time to go out for a walk at some point in the day. Not only is walking good for your physical health but also your mental health too and you’ll feel invigorated and fresh afterwards! 

Feel free to meet a friend, bring yours kids along or even go for a solo walk when the children are at school. Make use of this time to perhaps listen to the Quran on your phone or even a few Muslim podcasts like Salam Girl and The Mindful Muslim (as recommended on the Muslim Women Connect website).